How Slippery Rock native Hannah Lindey helped Team USA women win first ball hockey world title
A wake-up call gave way to an unprecedented achievement.
At the recent 2024 International Street and Ball Hockey Federation World Championships in Switzerland, Slippery Rock native Hannah Lindey and the USA women’s ball hockey team fell to Canada 2-0 in group play.
“I think it was good that we lost to them,” Lindey said. “It (was) definitely, as our coaches put it, a punch to the mouth. We kind of realized what it really takes to win it all. I think going into (our) final game, it really put us in a better position to win.”
The American women earned their first gold medal at the ISBHF World Championships following a 3-0 triumph over top-seeded Czechia. In the round prior, Lindey and her teammates got their retribution, defeating the Canadians in overtime 2-1. It was Lindey’s line that netted the game-winner.
“It was just a really clean break-out ... up to my wing, Maddy (Evangelous), and she just used her speed all the way down the wall and took a shot,” Lindey said. “It wasn’t the greatest angle, but we got a lucky tip off of one of their players and then Katherine Murphy, my other wing, was at the net to seal it off.”
Lindey is proud that she’ll be remembered as part of the trailblazing crew.
“It’s everything,” Lindey said of the accomplishment. “It’s the first gold for USA women’s (ball hockey). It’s something I’m really humbled to be a part of. It’s going to be cool to see the impact it has on ball hockey as a whole, especially for young girls that want to get into hockey that don’t necessarily have the means to play ice.”
Lindey, 24, now resides in Rochester, N.Y., and works as a mental performance coach for Bishop Kearney Selects, a private high school’s hockey program. Helping draw attention to the sport has brought her a strong sense of pride.
“It means a lot,” Lindey said. “At my job, I really help to push athletes to be their best self, on and off the ice. Just being a small part of growing the game, especially for the younger generation, is huge. I’m really excited to see the growth.”
Lindey began playing ball hockey at a young age in a Butler Dek Hockey youth league. She played up in age with her brother, Eric, who’s four years older. Playing with mostly boys at a fast pace, Lindey was pushed to consistently perform at her best and make quick decisions.
Lindey previously played with the U.S. Women’s National Ball Hockey Team in the 2022 ISBHF World Championships, held outside Montreal.
“Overall as a team, it was an amazing experience the second time around,” Lindey said. “(We) just all had the same goal in mind. ... We had a bigger picture in mind.”
Lindey felt she’d grown individually between the trips.
“I had a lot more confidence the second time around to help me kind of fit into my style of play and be comfortable with my decision making,” Lindey said.
There isn’t much in terms of ball hockey competition in Rochester, but Lindey makes trips back home to play with the Butler Bantams, a Pittsburgh Tier 2 team in the National Ball Hockey League, and in the adult and rec leagues Butler Dek Hockey offers.
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